The parking lot at the corner of Western and Lincoln in Peoria, Illinois.

Credit Tanya Koonce / WCBU

The southernmost portion of the city got some extra attention this morning regarding redevelopment.

First District Councilwoman Denise Moore organized a meeting with developer Zeb McLaurin. McLaurin toured the greater south side of Peoria, with stops at Taft Homes, the intersection of South Western Avenue and Lincoln Street, and at UFS. The driving tour also included the redeveloped portion of Harrison Homes. McLaurin says there are several factors in alignment that make the south-end worth closer consideration for redevelopment.

“Certainly with what was described to me, the growth of the major institutions here in town: the colleges, the major corporations, etc. And then the natural resources that exist, both in the form of land and the human capital so I think at least those primary concepts can be merged and if you will be migrated in same direction for a positive outcome, McLaurin says.”

McLaurin called the Taft Homes complex ‘great real estate’. The future of the housing complex is currently under consideration.

The tour stop at Taft included group input on the future of Caterpillar’s world headquarters. Those on the tour told McLaurin the world’s largest heavy equipment maker is less than a mile away, and is committed to building a multi block campus valued between 500 Million and a Billion dollars.